


Frozen Heart

by Yuri4Gwen



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angry Jim Gordan, Begging, Bottom Edward Nygma, Canon-Typical Violence, Dubious Consent, Edward & Ivy Friendship, Forced Kissing, Forced touching, Frozen Edward Nygma, Gangsters, Gotham Season Four AU, In Love Oswald Cobblepot, Insecure Edward Nygma, Insecure Oswald Cobblepot, Ivy's Healing Plants, Jealous Oswald Cobblepot, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, Nightmares, Original Character(s), Oswald Tries To Distract Himself From His Edward Longing With An Imitation Edward, POV Oswald Cobblepot, Possessive Oswald Cobblepot, Protective Oswald Cobblepot, Scarecrow Fear Toxin, Stockholm Syndrome, The Iceberg Lounge, Top Oswald Cobblepot, Unsafe Sex, doesn't work, hallucination, ivy's perfume, safe sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 01:49:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12146025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yuri4Gwen/pseuds/Yuri4Gwen
Summary: Edward is encased ice; Oswald is encased in loneliness, what will happen when the ice melts?To the underground of Gotham Oswald bested his enemy Edward Nygma and now has him proudly displayed in an ice sculpture in the Iceberg Lounge, a warning to anyone who tries to cross the Penguin. For Oswald his reasons for imprisoning Ed are much more pragmatic, he couldn’t bear to let him go.Oswald tries to fill the Edward shaped hole in his life with an almost carbon copy but the emptiness prevails, how will Oswald’s fear of rejection manifest when Edward’s thaw from the ice becomes inevitable.





	Frozen Heart

**Author's Note:**

> An AU based on the promo material from Season Four speculating on what would happen if Oswald was dosed with Jonathan Crane's Fear Toxin and how that would affect his relationship with Edward, in relation to their recent history.
> 
>  
> 
> Un-betaed so please excuse all my mistakes.

Chapter One

Oswald sits hunched over in his large chair, his eyes are burning and his body is wracked with niggling pain. Spread out over the top of his desk is several résumés and photographs of young men looking straight down the camera lens. To Oswald, they are all starting to merge together, tall, lean, dark hair and cheekbones that could wound you. He leans back away from the desk and closes his eyes, ‘What I want the poor have, the rich need and if you eat it you’ll die,’ Ed standing in front of him, completely inconsequential and with a gleeful mischievousness in his eyes. Oswald smiles despite himself and feels renewed, he picks up the nearest résumé and looks at the man, Jack’s relevant experience then throws it back to look at his picture. From the picture a serious looking young man with chestnut hair and pale blue eyes stared back at him, Oswald sighs and throws it on top of the résumé. 

This is starting to feel like a futile endeavor, is this really how he wants to spend his time? He could get someone else to do this job, he doesn’t care about the bar staff. A familiar maniacal laugh starts to echo within his head at his current activity. ‘You know why you’re wasting time looking at all these very similar looking men.’ Oswald looks down at his weary appearance in the black reflection of his desk. Yes he knows, several months later and he can gloat and posture in front of everyone else convincingly but not himself. He misses him so much, sees him every night but can’t touch him, can’t have a conversation or see his face light up with pleasure at a new puzzle. 

The next résumé is for 25-year-old Ryan Taylor, Oswald sets it straight back down he’s had enough of reading meaningless information about their experience, that’s not what he wants to know. He picks up the photograph Ryan is smiling into the camera with deep brown eyes and floppy brown hair, it’s a self-conscious smile like the person taking it is telling him to. He looks at the photograph intently until his vision blurs and he sees Edward looking up at him over the top of his glasses, hair disheveled looking apprehensive on the other side of the visitor’s table at Arkham. 

A thud outside the door draws his attention, probably Ivy on her way to berate him for sitting here so long and not eating. He catches her looking at him worryingly sometimes especially when he’s sitting in his own personal booth with the best view of Edward. He readies himself for a fight, he’s a grown man running a club and a criminal empire, and he can do what he wants. The room is suddenly plunged into darkness; Oswald reaches into the drawer nearest to him from muscle memory and grabs the gun within. 

Oswald waits impatiently for his eyes to adjust to the inky blackness, he isn’t too worried, as he knows this room like the back of his hand. Anyone who had the gall to try to come in here and intimidate Oswald would only be leaving one way, in a body bag if they were fortunate. He sat up straighter in his chair and brought the gun up onto his lap, his finger inching towards the trigger. 

The door slowly creaked open, an undistinguished, silhouette stands in the soft light coming through the gap in the door. Oswald can’t differentiate anything that tells him who this person is, paid hit? Who would hire someone to try and kill Oswald? He ran through a list of people in his head but couldn’t quite limit it to someone who would either feel threatened enough by him or be crazy enough? Also, where was Freeze? Firefly? Zsasz? Nobody should have gotten anywhere near this door, let alone be standing in it with so little light possibly giving them an advantage. 

“Tell me, what scares you the most?” Oswald felt a small shiver of disquiet at the distorted voice that resonated through the room. He pulled his gun a little closer to his chest but the movement seemed to embolden the intruder and they rushed into the room. Their body blocked the small amount of light streaming into the room and Oswald brought the gun up in the direction he hoped the trespasser was and fired. Suddenly he was enveloped in an overpowering cloud of sweet-smelling gas that invaded his nose and mouth. Immediately his face, hands, and feet broke out in pins and needles as he writhed to get a breath into his painfully constricted lungs and an irrational dread engulfed his mind, he was dying. He knew what that felt like, he’d died before but this was somehow worse, it felt never-ending and debilitating. He had to get out of here; this isn’t where he wanted to take his last breath. 

Everything happening in the room became secondary to him, he didn’t care about the intruder, they would be doing him a favor in ending this anguish, all he wanted was to go to Edward, to see him one last time. He stood on shaking legs, his body felt disorientated, both dense and weightless and limped precariously to the door. He held awkwardly onto the doorframe and braced himself for the journey down into the main body of the club. 

******************************************************************************

The cool air emanating from the ice was like a beacon to Oswald, he crawled sluggishly towards the base of the sculpture. He kneeled painfully on his knees and brought both hands up to finally touch the soothing ice. As he did his eyes focused on the ice in front of him and his mind tried to fight against the terror within to realize that something wasn’t right. A dim blue light filled his vision and slowly the ice bled into his skin and bones and he gradually acknowledged, no green. 

A pale distorted face unexpectedly appeared on the other side of the ice and Oswald jumped back from the sculpture and in his haste to escape fell off the podium onto the hard cold floor. He barely felt the pain that ricocheted through his body as he was brought face to face with a wrathful Edward Nygma. He tried to pull himself upright to be more level with Edward but he found himself frozen in place. Ed walked around the ice, stepped gracefully off the podium and leaned down invading Oswald’s personal space.

The cold radiating off him was reflected in his eyes as he slowly smiled a tight, angry grimace. “Oswald, good to see you where you belong, a pathetic disappointment as usual.” Oswald felt his heartbeat quicken as his body temperature lost another few degrees, he knew Edward would be enraged after getting thawed out but he wasn’t ready to deal with this right now. He needed time; he wanted to be in a position of power not quivering on the floor at Ed’s feet. “Ed…” “Always driven by your emotions Oswald, that’s why you’ll always be alone, you had to know I’d get out, you couldn’t keep me forever, well in the only way you could ever keep me.”

Oswald started to feel nauseous, no this was all wrong, he needed to remedy this but he couldn’t clear the fog from his mind to form a coherent thought or plan of action. “Goodbye Oswald, I doubt we’ll ever meet again unless I have to kill you again to get you out of my life, it would be a mercy killing and don’t worry I will treat you like the zombie you are and aim for your empty little head.” “No!” Escaped from Oswald’s mouth in a half frenzied scream, he needed Edward, he had frozen him in an experimental ice prison because he couldn’t bear the thought of Edward living a life without him and he knew it was irrational but it was how he felt, he’d already lost so much. “What did you expect, that a little time on ice would change my feelings, if anything they’ve intensified them, I don’t love you, in fact, the very thought of you makes my very skin crawl.” Ed then turned away from him as though the very sight of him repulsed him. Oswald’s heart was beating rapidly in his head and he was struggling to catch his breath but his distress at Ed leaving propelled him into action and he grabbed onto the nearest part of Ed that he could, his calf. This stopped Ed momentarily from moving forward but he harshly pulled his leg free and briskly walked away into the darkness of the club without a backward glance as Oswald screamed in anguish. 

 

Chapter Two

Oswald awoke with a start; his head felt like it was splitting in two and his throat was raw like he’d been swallowing razor blades and bleach. It took a moment for him to realize that he was in the bed that he kept in the office for busy nights when he didn’t make it home. The room was insufferably stifling; the cloying smells of flora and earthy dirt and with apprehension etched onto her face, Ivy. “Finally, I was starting to get worried.” Oswald started to sit up in bed with effort, as his body was lethargic and tender. “What happened?” “I don’t know exactly, I found you in the club and you were hysterical, I had to knock you out.” Had he to be knocked out? He searched his memories to see why that would be; he remembered looking at potential staff résumés then… “Where was I?” Ivy looked away for a moment as though she didn’t want to impart this information, which made Oswald fidget slightly under the covers. “In front of the sculpture.” She looked at him with slightly widened eyes and bated breath. 

Oswald sighed in confusion; inwardly he was mortified to be caught in a comprising position near Ed especially by Ivy who already mothered him more than necessary. He couldn’t fathom why he would be hysterical in front of Ed, well at least in a capacity where he’d needed to be knocked out. “How long have I been out?” Ivy took a deep breath, “Three days.” Oswald’s blood ran ice cold in his veins, what had happened to him? “I don’t know if this is important or not but you’ve been mumbling Nygma’s name this entire time, was somebody connected to him responsible for this?” Somebody Edward knew behind this, hardly Ed didn’t exactly have a lot of associates left. Edward’s pale angry face flashed up in his mind and before he knew what he was doing he was out of bed and halfway down the stairs with Ivy hot on his heels. 

Walking up to the podium was a bittersweet experience; he felt trepidation as he neared it expecting Edward to be gone and his face heating with relief when he saw Ed’s frozen expression still safely encased in the ice. He feels slight remorse at wanting to keep Ed suspended in animation, this way he can never leave or hurt Oswald again. He still lives in hope that Edward can be thawed out one day when Oswald figures out a way to get him to admit there’s something between them and Ed will be his. He feels the emptiness in his heart and life that he knows only Ed can fill but even though he feels the crushing despair he needs to be tougher and have more influence before he can fully face him again.

********************************************************************************

The air is heavy with the sound of glasses clinking, laughter and conversation under the booming music of the live band. The cumulative body heat of all the mingling bodies makes sweat slowly trickle down Oswald’s neck as he sits contentedly in his private booth at the back. He takes a leisurely sip of his wine and discreetly looks around the club, he sees young couples on dates, co-workers letting off steam, various members of the underworld conducting deals with his associates and Ivy dancing with Selina. He’s trying desperately not to look at Ed but the rest of the club feels dark and gloomy with Ed as a beautiful beam of light in the center pulling his attention like a magnetic pull.   
He quickly finishes the end of his wine and looks up to get the attention of one of his bar staff to get a refill. They are all flitting about behind the bar like a productive beehive filled with emerald green worker bees. Making the uniform a toned down version of Edward’s outfit was both a great idea to reinforce Ed’s status as the main attraction and Oswald’s trophy and a curse, as all it did was remind him of Ed. 

He finally made eye contact with one of the young men who hurried over to see what Oswald needed, he enjoyed being waited on. When he arrived at the table Oswald looked up into his earnest face with big brown eyes and floppy hair and his breath caught in his throat for a moment. He composed himself and told him what he wanted, while he waited for him to return he wondered what his face would look like framed by a pair of glasses. He returned quickly with another bottle of Oswald’s favorite wine and topped up his glass with the sweet nectar. Oswald took a quick sip, “You’re doing a fine job…” he gestured towards him, “Ryan, sir, thank you, do you need anything else?” Oswald looked up at his expectant face, ‘I would do anything for you’ then took another drink, “No that will be all for now.” Ryan waited for an extra beat looking at Oswald before he nodded and walked swiftly back behind the bar. 

Oswald watched him go as his mind started to work out ways he could use this to his advantage. He turned to look at Ed, with his frozen ‘No’ still firmly in place, thinking about everything that preceded it and back on the memory of the attack with Ed dismissing him and walking out of his life. He needed a distraction, just for a short while a substitute to occupy his time until he could find a way to thaw Edward Body, heart and soul. 

 

Chapter Three

Ivy was doing her best to keep Oswald engaged in conversation about her new strain of some plant or other, Oswald graciously nodded in all the right places but his attention was elsewhere. The club was crowded; as usual, it was a typical Saturday night with normal citizens of Gotham rubbing shoulders with minor celebrities, local personalities, and underground criminal element. Having his club be a success was important, especially as it was his new base of operations for his criminal empire. Being successful was important to him for many reasons, he hated being underestimated, this was his due after working his way up from umbrella boy to kingpin, ‘make this city yours or you burn it to the ground’ and he wanted to prove Edward wrong.

“Is there anything I can get for you, Mr. Cobblepot, sir?” Oswald looked up to see who was addressing him, Ryan stood in front of him nervously fidgeting and not quite able to hold eye contact. ‘Why are you being so kind?’ Ed looking apologetic over the top of his glasses, in his striped Arkham jumpsuit and messy hair when he was at his lowest point, tense, bumbling and needing Oswald. At this point in time, that’s the Ed he wants back the one who is uncertain of his place in the world but with greatness ahead of him who desperately needs Oswald. A sharp elbow in his side brings him back to the present, “Some wine please, Ryan if you would be so kind.” Ryan nodded then turned to Ivy who ordered her own drink but Oswald was too busy thinking, discreetly looking at Ed. Ivy nudged him, gently this time and when he turned towards her she raised her eyebrow at him. Oswald rolled his eyes at her which made her laugh then continue on with the story she’d been telling before, at least he thought that was the story she’d been telling. 

A distraction, he just needed a small distraction, which could help him focus on the bigger at issues at hand once he got it out of his system. Edward was an immense disruption, his absence left a cavernous hole in Oswald’s heart and the aching melancholy drove him to distraction every day. Some way to get a tiny dose of Ed, even in a diluted form, and an Ed who wasn’t so certain of himself and needed Oswald’s attention and guidance. Ryan reappeared at the table with their orders, he placed Ivy’s drink down in front of her and then Oswald’s, he watched the wine slightly splash up the sides of the glass in Ryan’s unsteady hand. Oswald looked up into his uneasy eyes, as he waited patiently for Oswald to dismiss him. ‘A man with nothing that he loves, is a man who cannot be bargained, a man that cannot be betrayed, a man who answers to no one but himself…’ Yes, a distraction to occupy his time was just what he needed. 

****************************************************************************

Oswald reclined on the bed waiting for Ryan to come out dressed in the outfit he’s presented him with when he’d arrived around 10 minutes ago. He drained his glass of wine to try and steady his nerves, what was he doing? This left him in a very vulnerable position and for what, so he could indulge in his fantasy of Edward for a short while. Not having Ed with him in the way he’d so often envisaged left him feeling bereft and his heart iced over a little more each passing day, leaving him a little more callous and cruel.

The door to the room suddenly opened and there stood Ryan dressed in a white shirt, gray trousers, green checked tie and slightly old-fashioned black-rimmed glasses. He stood fidgeting in the doorway, seeming unsure of what exactly was expected of him. Oswald took this opportunity to take in the spectacle in front of him, he was tall and lean, the clothes fit him perfectly just as he knew they would, glasses sat perfectly on his high cheekbones, accentuating his soulful brown eyes but something was missing. He rose from the bed and walked towards him, Ryan tried to hold his gaze but he looked away when Oswald got close, what was missing? He let his mind open and expand to draw on the memory of the day that he naively thought would be the first tangible step in making Ed his. He can see Ed looking somber, dejected and uncharacteristically disheveled with his downturned eyes and ruffled hair. Oswald looked back at Ryan with his perfectly neat styled hair, he reached out with his left hand and ran it through his strands to break them up. He pulled back to look at his handiwork, it was definitely an improvement but not perfect as on closer inspection his hair was too straight with a slight auburn undertone. Oswald tried not to feel too disappointed this was just a temporary fix, he just needed to get this out of his system. 

He moved back towards the bed, he sat down and beckoned Ryan over, how best to do this? Ryan walked on slightly unsteady legs towards the bed; he stood in front of Oswald then nervously ducked down and gently placed his lips on Oswald’s. A shock reverberated through Oswald at the tentative contact, he felt as though he’d been slapped with a slimy, studded glove. He pulled back quickly to the slightly shocked face of Ryan, “why don’t you get on the bed, on all fours.” Ryan nodded then he moved stiffly onto the bed, Oswald watched him and started to feel the unease creep into the back of his mind like a cold draught. 

He took a deep breath, to build his resolve and looked at the figure on the bed, his physique was close to Ed’s, he had on his attire, he couldn’t actually replace him but he thought of this as assisted, mental masturbation as he could never replace Edward, he didn’t want to. He opened his mind to Edward his earnestness, his need for attention, beaming smile and the way he saw through to the real Oswald past all his inadequacies, was patient with his temper and worked so hard to anticipate all his wants and needs. Well everywhere except the one need that he desperately wanted him, to accept and return his love and affection. Now he could live out a small fantasy where Edward needed comfort in the face of his loss and Oswald would return it, showing Edward that he could be selfless, sympathetic and consoling which in turn would make Edward realize that he needed him. 

 

He moved up onto the bed on his knees and leaned, as far forward as he could to touch Ed’s hair, he wanted him to be comfortable as he was sure that Ed was inexperienced especially when it came to men. He let his hand roam over Ed’s shoulders, down his slender back onto his waist and over his angular hips. He could feel Ed slightly shivering and he tried to soothe him with his hands and a soft voice telling him it was going to be ok. He wanted to demonstrate to him through his actions that he was the right one for him, that he could satisfy him in ways that nobody else could. He was at war with himself and his own desires, he knew it would be best for Ed if he went slow, gentle but a larger part of him was feeling a possessive need to prove himself. 

He moved away from Ed to grab the things he’d need from the drawer by the bed and then moved back into position behind him. He set them down on the bed by his right knee, then moved his hands along the top of Ed’s trousers wasting no time in undoing them and pulling them down as far as he could which to his dismay wasn’t very far. Ed started to move to help out but with a hand on his lower back Oswald stilled him and told him to stay put. He walked over to the side of the bed where his cane was leaning against the wall and pulled the penguin headed blade from it making the occupant on the bed gasp quietly and his trembling to become more pronounced. Oswald walked back with the blade in hand; he got back on the bed and reassured Ed that everything was going to be fine. Then placing a steadying hand on his lower back he started to cut all the fabric off the lower half of his body, it was an inconvenience at this point. When he had separated it from Ed’s unstable legs he discarded it to the floor along with the blade so he could focus on his prize.

He reached out to touch Ed’s warm, soft skin, gently stroking from his lower back down to the bottom of his ass. He was so beautiful, Oswald had spent more time than he cared to admit fantasizing over what Ed looked and felt like beneath his suits. He imagined Ed’s face now, his eyes would be lowered, his cheeks turning a soft pink and his mouth would be soft and open as he panted through his arousal. Oswald desperately wanted to look into his face as he took him apart piece by piece, hear him say Oswald’s name like it was the only word he could remember through the heated, haze that would consume his mind. On impulse he raised his hand and brought it down hard on Ed’s left cheek, just to see it jiggle slightly, hear his sharp inhale and admire the pinkish hue it left behind, it gave him a perverse satisfaction. 

He moved both hands to Ed’s hips, gripped hard onto them so he could feel the outline of his bones then squeezed and pushed so that Ed would bend over more fully. He then slowly moved his hands to each cheek and pulled them apart so that he could look at Ed’s tight little hole, he wanted to fuck him so hard that Ed would still feel the phantom touch for at least a week. He felt slightly winded as the exhilaration of finally having this was rushing through his bloodstream and squeezing his lungs into breathlessness. He reached for the lubricant with a trembling hand and flipped open the lid; he squeezed the bottle on reflex and ended up with a slippery hand. He rubbed as much excess as he could onto his left three fingers then brought his index finger towards Ed’s hole. He slowly rubbed around the outside in circle moving steadily inward to feel the different skin texture and the slight tremble as Ed readied himself for what was to come, and then he pushed. 

He met resistance almost right away, it was so tight and Ed let out a soft groan at the invasion, which Oswald delighted in, he was getting a reaction from Ed that proved he still had an effect on him. He gently stroked over Ed’s skin as he thrust his finger in and out, eventually, he felt a small amount of give. He pulled his finger out slowly, replacing it with two and feeling more resistance but also that Ed was getting tighter, Oswald smiled he was enjoying this. By the time he was on three fingers Ed was making continuous noise, to Oswald, it sounded like how people said his name when he was elected mayor, with reverence, hope, and love. Oswald was buzzing with pleasure, it felt too good to be true everything he wanted and Ed was an enthusiastic participant. He reached down to feel his own hard cock, he was ready, Ed was ready and it was time to stop daydreaming and make this a reality. He pulled away from Ed reluctantly to grab the condom packet and rip it open, and then he pulled out the thin, slick condom and rolled it down over his cock. He put one hand on Ed’s hip, the other he used to guide himself to Ed’s hole, and this was it and he felt stunned that it was actually happening. 

As he pushed in, he couldn’t believe how tight it felt, it was overwhelming him and his body broke out in goosebumps, he felt flustered in a way that he couldn’t fully comprehend. When he finally bottomed out he felt like he’d been pulled inside out and left raw and open so he spread himself out across Ed’s back to feel the connection all over. Edward’s name wriggled up his throat, slid past his lips and became a mantra in his voice, he wanted Ed to know that this was all for him, he needed him and loved him despite all the hurt between them. He wanted to climb inside him and never leave, they were permanently intertwined, and you couldn’t have one without the other, why couldn’t Ed comprehend this?

An innate need grew within him to completely ruin Ed for anybody else, he wanted him to feel the same way, to stammer and blush when he thought back on this experience, for his cock to grow hard when he thought about Oswald taking him. He moved back, and then thrust into Ed hard, Ed let out a delightful whine and Oswald increased the pressure and frequency, he felt completely insatiable for everything that was happening and everything that Ed could give him. ‘I believe in you Oswald, even when you don’t believe in yourself’ Ed standing front of him resolute in his convictions as Oswald feels relief, pride and adoration wash over him. ‘You won’t leave me again.’ He felt a liquid fire in his stomach that was quickly expanding out to encompass his arms, legs and up into his neck as his mind became cloudy with an almost painful pleasure that he wanted desperately to hold onto and end at the same time. ‘Say you’re mine.’ Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore and he soared over the precipice past the roaring in his ears and the tempo of his heart. ‘I love you.’

He pulled out, grabbed Ed by the shoulder as he wanted to see the same rapturous expression that he was sure was on his own face reflected back at him only to be faced with the blissed-out face of Ryan which slowly morphed into one of apprehension at his expression. His skin grew prickly with a chilling cold that made everything in the room just stop, he felt bile rise up burning the inside of his throat and his heart squeezed more ice into his veins. 

******************************************************************************** 

Oswald’s head is beating in time with the music; he sips at the cold martini that Ivy suggested as a variation from his usual wine. He feels tired and weary; the last few days have been long and devoid of any peace. There has been unrest within the underworld in the past few weeks, at first Oswald didn’t get involved outside of a few discreet, well-placed threats but things continued to escalate. Didn’t they know that the old ways of doing things had changed? Aiden ‘Ade’ McGrath had insulted Lorenzo Greco by robbing a bank that was considered part of Greco territory, and then they retaliated by muscling in on their protection racket by threatening some small business owners. After that, it became an all-out war between them with Oswald finally having to weigh in when it was the last thing he cared about but he couldn’t have these idiots running around drawing attention to everyone else’s operations.

Oswald really didn’t have time for this, he was running a club, and the underworld and he was completely distracted by Ed and the disastrous experience from three nights ago. Trying to substitute Ed hadn’t worked out, which Oswald secretly knew would happen but what he hadn’t been prepared for was how emotional he’d get or how caught up in the moment. He looks over at Ed now, he wants everyone to leave so he can find solace in himself with Ed, just stand in front of him, close enough to feel the soothing coolness of the ice. He needs some alone time especially as McGrath is here, he wants to talk about the Greco situation but Oswald has been postposing him all week, he knows he’ll have to deal with it tonight but he wants a few drinks first plus Zsasz isn’t here yet, he had some other business to attend to first. 

 

******************************************************************************** 

“Hey Pengy, how you feeling?” Oswald tore his eyes away from Edward to give Ivy a scathing look; she knew he hated that nickname. Ivy smiled at him, “thought you’d want to know that Zsasz has just arrived.” Oh right, the whole having to deal with idiot’s problem, he’d actually forgotten about them but he supposed he’d delayed them long enough. He downed the end of his drink, then stood, righted his clothes and grabbed his cane, he turned towards Ivy just as there was a loud bang at the front entrance to the club, “GCPD, nobody move!” 

The club became eerily silent as everyone froze in place, several police officers with their guns drawn had swarmed into the building with Jim Gordon at the forefront looking like a stern, irate protector of the people, business as usual. “We have a warrant for Aiden ‘Ade’ McGrath, come out with your hands up.” A glass on a nearby table exploded into a thousand tiny shards as a bullet ripped through it and then the room was a cacophony of screams, gunshots, glass shattering and the heavy thuds of bodies and feet. 

Oswald grabbed Ivy by the arm and pulled her to relative safety behind the booth, this was the last thing he needed right now, goddamn Jim what made him think this was a good idea to come barging right into the lion's den with a warrant? Where was Zsasz? There was little Oswald could do at the moment except wait this out, he’d deal with the aftermath as he always did but for now, he was trapped and all he could do was keep himself and Ivy safe until this was over. 

Just as he was starting to lose all hope Zsasz finally turned up with his usual accompaniment of female assassins, just in the nick of time to deal with the situation. In no time the GCPD had withdrawn from the building, well what was left of them but Jim was fine so he supposed they counted that as a win. They had also put a dent in McGrath’s number so all in all not a bad day for the GCPD but it would be a mild headache for Oswald, not least of all because he didn’t want stray bullets flying about his club. 

He stood with the help of the table then offered a hand to Ivy; he’d have to go assess the damage. “You ok, Ivy?” She looked over her shoulder down at her body, in the scuffle, she’d ripped a few seams in her skirt, “Yeah, think I might have slightly twisted my ankle but I’ll be fine, can’t say the same for my skirt.” Oswald shook his head trust Ivy to have her priorities straight, he was just glad she was unharmed. Ivy finally straightened up with her back to Oswald, she was obstructing his view of the club but he was fine with that at the moment until she suddenly went rigid and a small yelp came unbidden from her mouth. This alarmed Oswald, as Ivy was generally quite calm and collected, he wondered if maybe she was suffering from delayed shock and walked up to her side to see if she needed anything. The club came into view, broken glass, overturned tables, small drops of blood and melting ice amongst the spilled drinks. He saw emerald green splashed with red like a macabre Christmas decoration and empty brown eyes staring unseeing at the ceiling. ‘Is there anything I can get for you, Mr. Cobblepot, sir?’

Just as Oswald was about to ask Ivy what was wrong he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. All his concentration zeroed in on the sight in front of him, his body felt as though Freeze had just turned him into his own personal ice sculpture. There on his podium in the middle of the club stood the star attraction and Oswald’s personal trophy, bullet-riddled, fissures running through it as though it were made of fine crystal and a river of ruby red spilling forth from its center obscuring the treasure within. 

 

Chapter Four

Oswald sat numbly staring at the large chunks of melting ice diluting the cold puddle of blood that bordered it. A restless, buzzing energy electrified his veins but Oswald was frozen in fear, too fearful to breathe in case the reality of the situation became too real. He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and turned to see Ivy, she had streaks of blood on her face, green dress splashed with reddish brown but her face was hopeful. “Ed…” “Has been stabilized but it’s still early.” Oswald felt like all the air had been punched out his body, he sunk down to the floor unable to hold his own weight anymore. Ivy’s worried face filled his vision as she crouched down to his level, “Are you ok?” Oswald closed his eyes as his body started to shake, burning hot, unadulterated rage started to swell within him until it rose up in a wave that crashed over his brain and poured out through his pores. He would find everyone responsible for this, no matter how small and make them wish they had died last night as he cut them into small pieces and burned them until not even their own mothers would recognize them. Oswald jumped up, “Where’s Freeze and Zsasz?” 

******************************************************************************** 

The screams coming from McGrath’s associates were starting to lull Oswald to sleep; his impatience with this process had been building over the past week, he’d barely ate or slept and due to these morons he hadn’t gotten any closer to finding out where McGrath was. “I don’t know anything Mr. Penguin, I swear.” Oswald sighed, stood and finally shut him up with a bullet in his brain. He turned to Zsasz to indicate that he should bring in the next one when the door suddenly opened and Ivy stepped in. She walked briskly up to Oswald, “Let me help.” “I don’t have time for this Ivy, if this one doesn’t work out we need to send a message to the rest, give up your boss or die a horrific death.” She threw her arms out at her sides, “I can save you time.” Oswald signed then started to move away from her but Ivy stopped him by grabbing his shoulder, “I’ve spent this past week playing nursemaid to Nygma while watching you make yourself sick over this, now I’m helping whether you want me to or not.” Oswald looked into her determined face, he knew she was just concerned and she was trying to save Edward’s life plus he knew that Ivy could do all manner of remarkable things with plants he remembered the Gabe situation. He placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed, “Ok Ivy, let’s see what you can do.”

Zsasz walked into the room dragging a blindfolded man behind him, the man didn’t come quietly, and he was struggling against Zsasz’s hold but to no avail. He was placed in a rickety, uncomfortable chair with several layers of other people’s blood splashed over it. His blindfold was removed once he was secured in the chair, his eyes widened and he started to deny that he knew anything, Oswald stood and walked over to him with his gun pointing in his face, “I don’t care about you, all I want to know is where McGrath is, tell me and you can go.” He violently shook his head, “I don’t know anything, I swear.” Oswald glared at him, he knew they were lying but for some reason, they were refusing to give up their boss, even under the threat of death. Ivy walked up to him, touched his upper arm so that he’d move out of the way, then she moved up into the man’s personal space. The man moved as far back as he could on the chair, as he clearly didn’t trust Ivy’s proximity. She batted her eyelashes at him and gave him a charismatic smile, and then she harshly gripped his upper thigh while moving very close to his face. He gasped in surprise taking a huge lungful of air, then his face relaxed into a blissful serenity. Ivy moved back from him and looked to Oswald to see what he wanted her to ask, “Where is Aiden McGrath? “He’s in an old warehouse in The Narrows.” Oswald felt a little calmer but he knew there was more work ahead of him before he felt fully vindicated. 

He walked Ivy from the room while his associates worked to get the exact address from him but thanks to Ivy’s perfume that would only take a few minutes. “How’s Edward?” She looked at his face searchingly for a moment, “Yeah he’s finally woke up, he asks a lot of questions.” Oswald felt like he’d been running down steps and missed one near the bottom, “He’s awake… What did he say?” “How long have you got?” Oswald smiled his first genuine smile in a week.

******************************************************************************** 

Oswald walked wearily into his office, it had been a long, arduous week but finally, Edward had been avenged and Oswald had helped to reinforce his own reputation in the process. He sunk down into his chair, he needed to get cleaned up and then go and see Edward while he was still feeling powerful fresh from his triumph against anyone who thinks they can come into his club and hurt the person he loves. How will Ed react to him? If he’s being completely honest with himself, he feels slightly apprehensive, all he wants is Ed to want him back but that was not how he felt the last time Oswald spoke to him and he’s not too sure how much he’ll remember. He’d spoke to Victor once about what to expect once he’d thawed Ed out, Victor didn’t have enough empirical data to know exactly what would transpire but memory loss could be a factor. He almost wished that Ed would forget at least everything that happened after the whole Isabelle incident; back when they were happy and together. 

The door to the office slams open, shocking Oswald out of his reverie, he sits up straighter in his chair just as Jim Gordan strides indignantly into the room followed closely by Zsasz and two of his female assassins. “Jim, what can I help you with?” “What do you know about Aiden McGrath’s disappearance?” Oswald wondered why Jim cared about a local gangster or how he’d managed to link him with Oswald? He wasn’t too concerned as he practically ran Gotham at this stage, well the criminal element but he had plenty of officials in his back pocket and there was little Jim could do. “What’s with the attitude, Jim? I have more important things to deal with right now than two-bit criminals who don’t know their place.” “So you admit that you had something to do with his disappearance.” Oswald stood so he’d be more level with Jim, “no, I just told you, I’ve better things to do.” Jim got closer to Oswald’s face, “I see you’ve fixed the club after McGrath shot it up last week, where’s Nygma, Oswald?” 

Oswald’s face fell as he felt the rage building within, who did Jim think he was coming in here and threatening Oswald with Edward. “How dare you come in here and…” Jim raised his hand to halt Oswald’s tirade, “I’ll be back with a warrant to check the premises, bye Oswald.” Jim turned and walked out in much the same way, as he’d come in, Oswald wondered if Jim was in a perpetual state of exasperation, a way for him to condone all the things he’d done in the name of integrity. Well, this was one battle that he was destined to lose; nobody was going to take Edward away from him. 

 

Chapter Five

The cloying smell of flora permeated the humid; sweltering air in the sun-drenched room that Ivy had been nursing Edward in, and lying in amongst all the vegetation was Edward sleeping fitfully looking for the entire world like sleeping beauty. Oswald sat uncomfortably at his bedside watching his pasty, clammy face as it intermittently twisted in discomfort but he was here and the rise and fall of his chest settled Oswald’s nerves. He moaned softly in his sleep as his face morphed into an uncomfortable grimace, Oswald leaned over him, brushed back his unruly hair and placed his lips tenderly on his clammy forehead to try and ground him. “Shhh… You’re safe, everything’s ok.”

Ivy cleared her throat behind him; Oswald moved away from Edward and turned to inquire how Edward’s condition had been since yesterday. “He seems fine, he does sleep a lot but that’s probably normal while he heals but I should maybe talk to you about his personality.” “His personality?” “Well, I don’t really know him, only saw him on occasion mainly when he was threatening you and either that was all an act, or he’s become a much dorkier version of himself due to being frozen.” Oswald turned to look at Edward, ‘Did you know that male Emperor penguins keep their eggs warm by balancing them on their feet.’ A skittish, geek in ill-fitting clothes but with a defiant light in his eyes, Oswald would be able to prevent him from leaving especially in contrast to the much more self-assured version of Ed. The very idea of an Edward who would be nervous around him, not able to hold eye contact for long, not have a harsh word to say and Oswald would be able to dominate and keep in line, made him feel in control for the first time in a long while. 

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Oswald felt so cold, his blood runs through his veins like a frozen daiquiri, he is surrounded by a bleak darkness, he can’t stop shivering and his heart is thundering in his chest. He’s terrified of what he can’t see, then a dim blue light illuminates a corner of the room and he can see a shadowy figure standing in the center looking graceful and composed like a figure skater against Oswald’s huddled and shivering form. “Goodbye Oswald” echoes around the room until Ed suddenly appears in front of him, he’s pale with icicles hanging from his hair, jacket, and he looks at Oswald with a cold, dead stare. How will he exact his revenge against Oswald for encasing him in an ice prison and making a mockery of everything he stood for by showcasing him as a trophy for all of Gotham to see? Doesn’t he see that Oswald couldn’t bear to let him go, it wasn’t about mocking the Riddler or besting him, it was about love. “I don’t love you, in fact, the very thought of you makes my very skin crawl.” No this was the last thing he wanted they worked so well together he would give him anything he wanted he loved him. “Edward!” “Always driven by your emotions Oswald, that’s why you’ll always be alone” Then Edward vanished leaving Oswald all alone in the icy darkness screaming his name. Oswald awoke in his bed, all alone shivering uncontrollably and covered in a cold sweat.

Oswald found himself outside the room that Edward was in before he fully comprehended what he was doing, he needed to see him. He threw open the door to find Ivy and Edward hunched over a horticultural book deeply engrossed in a debate that he’d just interrupted with his entrance. Ivy looked at him questioningly while Edward looked at him with wide eyes before quickly averting his eyes back to the book. Oswald found it difficult to drag his eyes away from Edward’s profile but he did to signal wordlessly at Ivy to leave. She gave him an incredulous look, then her lips thinned and her eyes narrowed but just as she was opening her mouth to debate with him Oswald glowered at her and moved forward shaking his head. Ivy sighed, looked back at Ed for a moment, and then she turned from Oswald and soothingly squeezed Ed’s shoulder on her way out the door. 

Oswald walked towards Edward tentatively, this was the first time he’d seen him awake since he’d been thawed from the ice and it was surreal to see him moving about even if he had gone motionless since Oswald had started moving near him. There was so much he wanted to say to him, wanted to reach out and touch his warm skin, look into his expressive eyes and see the mischievous light within. His heart was hammering in his chest, the heat in the room was exasperating the uncomfortable perspiration sitting on his skin, his mouth was full of small rocks and his mind was utterly blank. He came to stop at Edward’s side, he fidgeted slightly then gestured towards the book, “Learned anything new?” “Did you know that the ginkgo tree ‘Ginkgo biloba’, is among the most ancient of plants still in existence? Considered a living fossil, it’s said to have endured, unchanged, for more than 200 million years. It’s also a solitary specimen, being the only one of its species, with no known living relatives.” Edward recited this information monotonously while avoiding Oswald’s eyes and moving marginally away. “I did not know that I didn’t know you had an interest in plants.” “I enjoy acquiring knowledge particularly about new topics, knowledge is essential.” Oswald smiled to himself, Edward was exhibiting his previous social awkwardness that he’d seen in small flashes at the beginning of their friendship but the real Edward was still there buried under layers of discomfort. “Also Ms. Pepper has been very kind to me, she’s taught me a lot.” Oswald was also very thankful for Ivy, she could be a little immature at times but with Edward she had been very gracious and patient with her time, Edward due to his need to be the shrewdest in the room could sometimes infuriate people. Oswald spent the next two hours asking Edward questions about the book, how he was feeling, the room, Ivy and any other neutral topics he could think of just to pass the time with him and watch his face and body language thaw slightly as he got to show off his knowledge and bask in someone’s attention. 

******************************************************************************** 

The club was in full swing; apparently having people perish on the premises in a hail of bullets not only didn’t diminish business it actually attracted more people through the doors. Oswald was overseeing everything in a bid to occupy his time, he wanted to go spend more time with Edward but he didn’t want to overwhelm him plus Ivy was taking him around the upper area of the club. This would be his first time outside of the room, Oswald wanted to look in control and busy so that if Edward happened to look down he’d be impressed with the thriving club that he was managing, hopefully. He’d give himself another hour then he’d go find him to resume their conversation from last night, he felt an electric thrill at the uncertain version of Edward who was currently upstairs and his eager need to please, made Oswald’s mouth water and his trousers feel tight. 

Oswald was just handed a glass of his favorite red wine when he spotted Jim Gordan walking towards him flanked by Harvey Bullock and Lucius Fox, he didn’t want to waste time on them but from the look on Jim’s face, he wasn’t going to have a choice. He took a large mouthful of his drink and braced himself for this confrontation, going to see Edward as soon as this was over was giving him strength. 

Jim produced a sheet of paper from his inner pocket, a warrant to check the premises, Oswald took the page and pretended to be considering it while he subtly looked up at the upper level of the club to see if Ed was there. He was sure that Ivy would be paying attention and would take him to one of the secret rooms in the back so that the GCPD wouldn’t get to him. He saw Ed’s face looking down from the top balcony; he felt a small moment of panic, which quickly changed into fury when he noticed where Edward’s eyes were directed. He was completely transfixed on Fox, a slight, shy smile and his eyes held a shrewd edge, why was he so fascinated by Fox? Did they know each other? Was it attraction or did he see him as a chance to escape? Oswald could feel his blood start to boil, he needed to get rid of them so that he could go to Edward and reassure himself. Just as he was starting to worry that he was looking too long, he saw Ivy guiding Edward away and he turned to Jim disdainfully to tell him to knock himself out. 

******************************************************************************** 

Jim finally left over two hours later, bad-tempered, and empty-handed and full of hollow threats, Oswald felt like he was ready to explode, the club had to be closed while they conducted their futile investigation which cost him business and he couldn’t get Edward’s expression out of his mind. He waited ten minutes after Jim had left, glowering at his clock while the seconds ticked by, he felt like he was thrumming with energy, he was full of frantic fury, he wasn’t going to lose Ed now especially not to Fox. 

He marched rapidly from his office, looked down over the vacant bar signaling to Zsasz, who nodded to let him know that the GCPD were gone. He then turned and made his way to the room that Ivy had secreted Edward away to. When he reached the storeroom at the back he walked up the walk-in freezer and pressed the secret button behind the Imperial Collection Super Premium Vodka, which opened to reveal the extensive passageway that led to the secret rooms at the back of the club. He walked halfway down the passage and stopped at large green door, he raised his fist and knocked sharply on the door. The door opened a crack to reveal Ivy’s uneasy face, which relaxed into a relieved smile when she saw Oswald, she moved out into the corridor and pulled the door closed behind her. “Are they gone?” “Yeah, it was a complete waste of time, just trying to intimidate me.” “Are they after Ed?” Oswald was slightly taken aback as Ivy had always referred to Edward as Nygma, they must be growing closer, he saw this as a positive thing, maybe if Edward grew close to her he wouldn’t want to leave. 

Ivy brushed her hair behind her ear, which drew Oswald’s attention to the pendant she wore around her neck that he knew contained her special perfume and an idea formed in his mind. He told her that they wanted Edward for a specific thing that they thought he knew but they wouldn’t tell him what it was, therefore, he needed to figure out what it was from Edward so he could better anticipate Jim’s next move. Ivy gnawed on her lip, then she expressed the fear that Ed’s time in the ice might have affected his mind and he mightn’t remember. “There has to be a way, where he can’t help but tell us?” Oswald waited patiently as Ivy thought this over then she beamed at him and held up her pendant, “We can do it with this, that way he’ll tell us everything he knows and it won’t hurt him in any way.” She then turned back towards the room, “Wait, Ivy my dear I think it would be better if I did this alone, Edward would be embarrassed if you were there, he’s very proud whereas he and I have history, it’ll be easier for him.” Ivy looked torn for a moment, then she closed her eyes and sighed, “You’re not going to hurt him, are you?”

She must have gotten more attached than Oswald had realized but he knew he wouldn’t hurt Ed, well anymore than necessary, if he was being honest with himself he did have a perverse yearning to hear him cry out but mainly from a pleasurable pain. He walked up closer to her and placed his hand pacifyingly on her forearm, “No, all this time without him has taught me what’s truly important in life.” She looked deep into his eyes and must have seen something that encouraged her as she handed him the pendant, then she walked away back in the direction of the club. 

Oswald held the pendant tightly in his hand then pushed open the door to the room, a tropical room covered in different varieties of plants, it had a large comfortable looking bed in the center with a green bedspread covered with embroidered leaves and flowers. On one side of the room was an enormous mirror with a dressing table covered in various jewels and makeup. The other side was a makeshift laboratory covered in various books, test tubes and small cuttings of plants.

“Ivy?” Oswald looked up and saw Edward sitting on a stool in the laboratory looking intently at a test tube filled with a sea green liquid, the experiment had most of his attention so he hadn’t realized that Oswald was there. He opened the pendant and dabbed a small amount of the perfume onto his wrist then he walked quickly over towards Ed. “No, just me.” Ed looked up from the test tube, a shadow fell over his face, “Hello Oswald, what do you need?” This wasn’t the interaction that Oswald wanted between them, he wanted Edward to feel the same way he did, not discreet, timid dismissal from him, he recalled a time when Ed was ecstatic to see him. “Just wanted to see how you were doing today?” “I’m fine.”

Oswald decided that he’s been waiting long enough for this so he brought his wrist up and thrust it under Ed’s nose, he gasped and moved back almost falling off the stool in the process, then his face was relaxed. “Edward?” Edward turned towards him with a sappy look on his face, “Oswald.” Oswald realized that he hadn’t thought this through, he just wanted Edward to be a little submissive and he wanted the truth about Fox but now that he had a compliant Edward he said the first thing that came to mind, “Kiss me.” 

Edward leaned forward automatically and pressed his lips to Oswald, then he gently moved them in a robotic manner as though he wasn’t really there or he just wanted to get this task over and done with, Oswald felt displeasure flicker through him. He pulled back, “no, kiss me like you love me.” Those words felt like ash in his mouth, he wished more than anything that he didn’t have to utter them, as Edward should just kiss him with passion without being told. 

Edward’s face lit up with delight, then he rushed forward off the stool, leaned down and grabbed Oswald’s face, his lips came into contact with Oswald’s and they were soft, warm and eager. Oswald moaned softly at the contact which Ed took as an opportunity to push his tongue into Oswald’s mouth which made him moan in return and bring his arms up around Oswald’s shoulder’s, pulling him up against his body. Oswald felt dizzy, he couldn’t believe this was happening, he had Edward in his arms and he was kissing him. 

He kissed him for an indeterminate amount of time, Oswald felt himself becoming more and more turned on but he had no idea how long the perfume would affect Edward and he needed to get information about a couple of things. Namely, if Edward was going to try and leave and why he seemed so interested in Fox. He pulled back from Edward who moved forward trying to close the distance between them; he placed his hand on Edward’s chest and pushed softly. He then brought the hand that had the perfume on the wrist, up against Ed’s face to get him to inhale some more. Ed’s eyes closed over, he rested his head up against Oswald’s hand and hummed quietly to himself.

“Do you know Lucius Fox?” Ed laughed, “Foxy.” Oswald was taken aback, ‘Foxy?’ what the hell did that mean? Also, why was Edward laughing? He searched through his memory to see if Edward had ever mentioned Fox, did he admire him, like him or desire him? “Yeah Foxy, who is he to you?” “He works at the GCPD, he helped me to become who I am, he understands.” Oswald felt the rage building up within him; he imagined if he were a cartoon smoke would come out his ears until his head exploded. He grabbed Edward and swung him around until Oswald was against the stool and Ed was in front of him, he then put pressure on Ed’s shoulder to force him to the ground as Oswald sat down on the stool. “Beg me to keep you safe.” Edward crawled forward, wrapped his arms around Oswald’s thigh and placed his head in his lap. “Please Mr. Penguin, please help me, I need you to protect me.” “Show me how much I mean to you.” Ed moved impossibly closer to Oswald, he squeezed his thigh then brought his face round and started to nuzzle into it, kissing and murmuring quietly, “I can’t hear you, Edward.” “Mr. Penguin, only you can help me, I’m eternally indebted to you.” Oswald could see Edward in front of the fire, dressed impeccably begging Oswald for his help with his wretched romantic woes with tears in his eyes, why that woman was ever that significant was beyond him ‘I would forever be in your debt.’ 

Oswald felt all-powerful, he could feel his blood running a little hotter at the display that Edward was giving him, feeling his hands, lips, and breath through the fabric of his trousers near the sensitive skin of his thighs was driving him to distraction. “Tell me you’ll never leave me.” “No Mr. Penguin, I would never leave you.” Oswald felt relief roll through his body; a small voice in his head was trying to make him see the truth that he was forcing Ed to say these things, they weren’t true but he forced that voice into silence by smothering it under the immense desire he felt for Edward. 

“Do you love me?” Edward looked confused for a moment then he averted his eyes, “I don’t know.” “You don’t know?” Oswald tried not to be too disappointed as there was hope. “I feel as though there were feelings there but something repulsive is overshadowing them in my mind and making me feel a combination of dejection, resentment, and agony and I can’t quite figure out how I feel.” Oswald reached down and started to stroke over Edward’s face, hair and neck, as Ed looked up at him with huge, innocent eyes, he was petrified by how much love he felt for the man at his feet, he needed him in his life couldn’t envision it without him, he’d lost too much but how far was he willing to go to keep him?

 

Chapter Six

Over the next several weeks Oswald divided his time between the Iceberg Lounge, his criminal empire and spending all his spare time with Edward. He still felt butterflies in his stomach every time he went to Ivy’s room with some of her perfume hidden somewhere on his person to interrupt Ivy and Ed from their latest debate, experiment or quality time together to steal Edward for some of his own quality time. Oswald knows that using the perfume repeatedly on Edward is a bad idea, he wants what happens between them to be genuine also he doesn’t know what the long-term effects of prolonged use on a person are and he can’t ask Ivy, she treats Edward like her younger brother, which is preposterous but she’s become quite protective. She seemed to genuinely appreciate Edward’s company as he treated her like an equal and they both had an insatiable appetite for knowledge and problem-solving. 

Oswald leaned back in the large chair in his office and smiled down at Edward who was at his feet under the desk, he dangled his left wrist, which had a thin layer of perfume on it, in front of Edward’s face. Watching his face relax with the pheromones in the perfume got Oswald’s blood pumping, he kept their interactions to gentle touches, kissing and begging but he was ravenous for more. “Tell me you’ll never leave me.” Edward barely needed any coaxing in this state, he clearly knew what Oswald required of him, he nestled into Oswald’s thigh then looked up at him over the top of his glasses while gently biting his lower lip. “No Mr. Penguin, I’ll never leave.” This was the most exquisite torture to Oswald he wanted so much but not until Edward was ready. 

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After a busy evening in the club making sure everything was running smoothly and partaking in several glasses of wine, Oswald was bursting with excess energy. He decided that he would get at least a few hours sleep as it was quite late and then he could go see Edward first thing in the morning, perhaps they could share a tranquil breakfast together like they once did in the mansion. He walked through the door to his office intending on getting a cool glass of water before walking through to the adjoining room to lie on the bed he kept there for occasions such as these. The refreshing effect of the water is forgotten when he realizes that the adjoining room has a soft glow emanating from under the door meaning someone is already in there, he soundlessly strides over to his desk to retrieve his gun and then quietly opens the door.

To his complete surprise, Edward is laying on the bed, wholly engrossed in a book with his hair ruffled and his tie loosened, Oswald is stunned into stillness. Edward must sense his presence as he looks up, and then sets the book to the side and stands in front of Oswald; he takes a few tentative steps towards him then stops seemingly unsure of what to do next. Oswald is ecstatic, he feels a genuine desire to break into dance, song or laughter, in such a short space of time Edward has come to him of his own free will, and he finally admits that he feels something too. 

Oswald walked up to Edward, he took in the beautiful sight in front of him, Ed dressed in a green shirt, trousers, small specks of pollen in his hair and with his glasses having slid slightly down his nose as he looks at Oswald with tense eyes, biting his lip as he squirms, uncertain of what to do with his hands. Oswald reaches up to push his glasses into place, then gently caresses his cheek pulling him down so that he can kiss his abused lips better. Then he pulls back, runs his hand soothingly down Edward’s arm before taking his hand and leading him over to the bed where Oswald sits down, tugging on his hand until Ed sits hesitantly beside him. 

Oswald is thrumming with excitement but he wants this to perfect, get Ed good and relaxed so that he’ll enjoy himself and want a repeat performance. Oswald starts kissing Ed again, gentle at first but eventually things become intense and he can’t delay any longer. While kissing Ed he brings his hands up to start undressing him, stroking down the skin that he reveals as he goes, feeling the smooth, soft texture of his skin with the odd raised bump from Edward’s recent brush with mortality that helps to reinforce his vitality. Oswald breaks away from Ed’s mouth, panting to look at him; Edward is wide-eyed, pinkish hue high on his cheeks with his mouth soft and inviting. Oswald brings his mouth down to his delectable neck, nibbling gently before he starts to suck and kiss more harshly, desperate to leave a mark and encouraged by Ed’s enthusiastic reaction. 

“Have you ever been with a man before?” He murmurs almost distractedly into the skin of Ed’s neck, he doesn’t think Ed has as he’s only mentioned women before and Oswald knows he can erase the memory of those encounters from Ed’s mind with his own body. The idea of being the first man to touch Edward in this way is the ultimate aphrodisiac to Oswald, he’s an only child who was spoiled by his mother, and he doesn’t share well with others. “Nnn…no.” Ed stammers much to Oswald’s delight; this will be an unforgettable night for both of them. 

He quickly divested Ed of the rest of his clothes, he was too beautiful for words and Oswald wanted to take him apart but he hesitated when he reached to remove his own clothing as he was a little anxious of Ed’s response to his small, skinny body. ‘…The very thought of you makes my very skin crawl.’ What if Edward found him wanting? He knew it was wrong but he wished he had Ivy’s perfume here to help him; just a small sniff and Edward would be putty in his hands. No, he needed to know this was real, not a pale imitation. Oswald resolved himself to be bold even in the face of an adverse reaction, and then he got undressed. 

Oswald leaned forward, kissing Ed while gently pushing him back to lie down on his back on the bed. Once he was situated on top of Edward he let his hands wander all over Ed’s body, tenderly caressing over his chest, stomach, and hips, it was a magnificent feeling particularly as Ed whimpered in pleasure at the gentle touches. Oswald pulled back from Ed to look into his perfect face, Ed’s eyes were hazy with pleasure, his lips were red, the mark Oswald had sucked into his neck stood out starkly from his sun-kissed skin and Oswald wanted to burn the image into his brain forever. He pulled back reluctantly as he knew that he needed lubricant and a condom to make this possible and went to the bedside drawer to retrieve them, then set them by Edward’s shoulder on the bed as he got back on top of him.

“You’re so beautiful Edward.” Edward looked away bashfully as his blush deepened, making Oswald smile and kiss him again. Oswald picked up the lubricant and squeezed some onto his left hand; he needed to get Edward prepared for the main event. He trailed his finger up over Ed’s quaking thigh towards his hole, enjoying the slight widening of Edward’s eyes as he realized where it was headed. Oswald bit his lip when he finally reached his destination and started to push, feeling resistance and how snug he was, filling Oswald with possessive delight. He pushed his finger in as far as it would go, which wasn’t very far only to pull it back to push it in again, working to loosen Ed bit by bit. Oswald felt a full body shudder reverberate through Edward, his skin breaking out in goosebumps as Ed started a high pitched whine that seemed to start somewhere around his lungs before bursting forth from his mouth like the most beautiful melody that Oswald had ever heard. This was all his nobody else would ever have this or be able to get this kind of reaction out of Edward; he knew this was the truth. 

Encouraged by Edward’s reaction Oswald pulled his finger out only to quickly replace it with two, Edward’s hole clenched down hard until it became impossibly tight and he cried out in a high-pitched whine. “Mr. Penguin, pl-please be gentle.” So Oswald pulled his fingers almost all the way out and then pushed them back in at an excruciatingly, deliberate pace just to feel Ed clench down harder. Oswald could feel himself burning up inside as Edward’s reaction stoked the embers of desire within him, he surged up to kiss him passionately. “Of course, my darling, anything you need.”

He finally pulled his fingers free with great regret but he couldn’t wait any longer, picking up the lubricant he squeezed some out onto his hand then gave his cock a cursory stroke, he was too close for anything more. He started to reach for the condom but then he decided against it as the idea of his come inside Edward, of him blushing as it inevitability began to leak back out made a fierce thrill run through him and he couldn’t resist. By the end of this experience, he wanted there to be no uncertainty as to whom Edward belonged to. 

He moved back into position, looking down at Edward with his pink face and half-lidded eyes, he was panting as though he had run through many obstacles to get here and Oswald couldn’t believe that he finally got to have this, everything here was his, he would be the first and the last. He pushed in, feeling a little resistance but he knew Edward was nervous so he kept a steady pressure until he pushed through into the warm, tight heat. He felt so out of control, almost as though a rage had overtaken him but instead of anger he felt peace, instead of destruction he wanted to protect, he felt like he was overflowing with love and contentment. He started a steady pace as Edward moaned and thrashed beneath him, he leaned forward to kiss his sweet mouth and then moved down to nibble on his mark on his long neck. Edward brought his long, graceful legs up and wrapped them around Oswald’s waist, letting him thrust much deeper into him. “Mmm…Mr. Penguin.” 

Without any warning Edward’s hole became incredibly constricted, making Oswald cry out, then increase his thrusts, “Edward… oh god, Edward.” He couldn’t hold back anymore, he’d been pushed over the threshold and there was no turning back, his thrusts became savagely animalistic. He wanted Edward to still feel him long after this was over, so much so that he would desire Oswald, need him to take him so he could chase away the phantom touch for the real thing. To Oswald this experience was indescribable, he felt so light, overwhelmed, blissful, terrified and whole, he never wanted it to end. 

Much too soon for Oswald, Edward became much tighter than before and Edward became even more animated almost as though he were in a great deal of pain but he was fighting back against it, he grabbed Oswald and pulled him closer to him then hesitantly brought his lips to Oswald’s as though he urgently needed that connection between them. Then he cried out against Oswald’s mouth as he came across his stomach and his hole clenched rhythmically around Oswald, who instinctively sped up his thrusts before finally coming inside Edward as he kissed and bit at his lips. “I love you.” Oswald felt great relief at finally getting to utter those words and he looked down at Edward and saw his eyes had filled with tears, like beautiful diamonds that accentuated his exquisiteness, he lay down fully on top of him, nuzzling into his chest “We’ll always be together… you’ll never leave me.” Edward was absorbed in silence but his arms wrapped around Oswald and squeezed him tightly, all was right in Oswald’s world.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this AU based on the promo material for Season Four of Gotham, I'm personally looking forward to seeing how those hints of what is to come manifest in the show, trying really hard not to get my hopes up too high (and kind of failing if I'm being honest.)
> 
> Ginkgo tree facts found at https://www.amerinursery.com/american-nurseryman/5-fun-horticulture-facts/


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